Hieronymus Bosch (Jeroen Anthony van Aken) is an outstanding Dutch painter who intricately combined in his paintings the features of medieval fantasy, folklore, philosophical parables and satire. One of the founders of landscape and genre painting in Europe.
Biography of Hieronymus Bosch
Jeroen van Aken was born around 1453 in 's-Hertogenbosch (Brabant). The van Aken family, which originated from the German city of Aachen, has long been associated with the painting craft - artists were Jan van Aken(Bosch's grandfather) and four of his five sons, including Father Jerome, Antonia. Since nothing is known about Bosch’s development as an artist, it is assumed that he received his first lessons in painting in the family workshop. The van Aken workshop carried out a wide variety of orders - primarily wall paintings, but also gilding wooden sculptures and even making church utensils. So " Hieronymus the painter", as he was first mentioned in a document of 1480, took a pseudonym after the abbreviated name of his hometown ( Den Bosch), apparently out of the need to somehow separate themselves from other representatives of their kind.
Bosch lived and worked mainly in his native 's-Hertogenbosch, which at that time was part of the Duchy of Burgundy, and is now the administrative center of the province of North Brabant in the Netherlands. According to information about the artist’s life preserved in the city archive, his father died in 1478, and Bosch inherited his art workshop. He joined Brotherhood of Our Lady ("Zoete Lieve Vrouw" listen)) is a religious society that arose in 's-Hertogenbosch in 1318 and consisted of both monks and laymen.
The brotherhood, dedicated to the cult of the Virgin Mary, was also involved in works of mercy. In archival documents, Bosch's name is mentioned several times: he, as a painter, was entrusted with various orders, ranging from the design of festive processions and ritual sacraments of the Brotherhood to the painting of the altar doors for the chapel of the Brotherhood in the Cathedral of St. John (1489, the painting is lost) or even a model of a candelabra. The funeral service for the painter, who died on August 9, 1516, was also held in the same chapel. The solemnity of this ceremony confirms Bosch’s close connection with the Brotherhood of Our Lady.
This was followed by training in the Dutch cities of Haarlem and Delft, where the young artist was introduced to the art of Rogier van der Weyden, Dirk Bouts, Geertgen tot Sint Jans, whose influence was later felt in different periods of his work. In 1480, Bosch returned to 's-Hertogenbosch as a free master painter.
The following year he married Aleid Goyaerts van der Meerwenne (Merwey). This girl from a rich and noble family brought a substantial fortune as a dowry to her husband, giving him the right to dispose of it at his own discretion.
Jerome's marriage was not particularly happy (the couple did not have children), but it gave the artist material well-being, position in society and independence: even fulfilling orders, he could afford to paint the way he wanted.
None of Bosch's surviving works are dated by himself.
Therefore, presumably, his first known paintings, which were satirical in nature, date back to the mid-1470s. Created in 1475-1480. the paintings “The Seven Deadly Sins”, “Marriage at Cana”, “The Magician” and “Removing the Stones of Stupidity” (“Operation Stupidity”) are of a pronounced moralizing nature with elements of irony and satire.
It is no coincidence that the Spanish King Philip II ordered the hanging of “The Seven Deadly Sins” in the bedroom of his monastery residence in El Escorial, so that in his spare time he could indulge in reflection on the sinfulness of human nature. Here one can still feel the uncertainty of the young artist’s stroke; he uses only individual elements of symbolic language, which will later fill all his works.
They are also few in number in the films “Operation Stupidity” and “The Magician,” which ridicule human naivety, which is used by charlatans, including those in monastic robes.
Bosch ridiculed the clergy even more sharply in the painting “Ship of Fools” (1490-1500), where a tipsy nun and monk bawled a song in the company of commoners on a fragile boat driven by a jester.
Sharply condemning the depravity of the clergy, Bosch was still hardly a heretic, as the modern German art critic V. Frengler argued. Although he sought his path to understanding God outside the official church.
Artist's creativity
Who would be able to tell about all those amazing and strange thoughts that wandered through the head of Hieronymus Bosch, which he conveyed with the help of a brush, and about those ghosts and hellish monsters that often frightened more than they delighted the beholder! — Karel van Mander. “The lives of remarkable Dutch and German painters”
Bosch's work began with painting details of various altars and chapels. One of the first outstanding works of Hieronymus Bosch was the painting of the altar doors in St. John's Cathedral. It should be noted that Philip the Fair, who later became the king of Castile, really liked this work.
Bosch was a cheerful and sociable person, but he rarely traveled outside his village of Oeroshort and not far from where he settled after his marriage.
Paintings by Hieronymus Bosch still remain a mystery to art historians. About 40 paintings are credited to him. There may have been more, but the artist never signed his works.
In addition to drawing, Bosch was engaged in making engravings and was a good blacksmith. He once did a huge glass painting in a church and also made an excellent metal frame.
Bosch's paintings hung in many royal courts and aroused the admiration of his contemporaries. Bosch's life ended on August 9, 1516, in the city where he was born.
The artist’s canvases often feature monsters, funny or devilish figures drawn from folk legends, allegorical poems, moralized religious literature, as well as the movements of late Gothic art. Works in Hieronymus Bosch's biography, such as Garden of Earthly Delights, confuse the allegories. However, the symbolism of these works is unclear and gives rise to different interpretations.
Bosch was interested in the grotesque, the diabolical, the rich and the deadly.
He was one of the first artists in Europe to depict scenes of everyday life in his canvases, although often with abnormal elements.
King Philip II of Spain collected some of Bosch's best creations. Temptation of St. Anthony" (Lisbon), "The Last Judgment" are frequently encountered themes in the artist's work. Other paintings by Bosch are on display in El Escorial, Brussels. Examples of "Adoration of the Magi" are on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a museum in Philadelphia that also houses "Mocking of Christ".
Bosch's biography was deeply influenced by the work of Pieter Bruegel. In the 20th century, Hieronymus was perceived as a harbinger of surrealism. Bosch's works still impress modern artists. Bosch's paintings were often forged and the style copied. The artist himself sold only 7 paintings in his entire life. Over time, scientists began to attribute fewer and fewer works that had previously been considered his works to Bosch's hand. By the beginning of the 21st century, only 25-30 paintings have been named that are definitely the creation of Bosch.
His technique is called alla prima. This is an oil painting method in which the first strokes create the final texture. Based on the results of modern studies of Bosch’s work, art historians attribute it to the surviving heritage of Hieronymus Bosch 25 paintings And 8 drawings. The paintings are triptychs, fragments of triptychs and separate, independent paintings. Only 7 of Bosch's works are signed. History has not preserved the original names of the paintings that Bosch gave to his creations. The names we know are assigned to the paintings from catalogues.
Researchers still cannot speak confidently about the creative evolution and chronology of Bosch’s works, since none of them have a date, and the formal development of the creative method does not represent a forward movement and is subject to its own logic, which involves ebbs and flows.
- In view of the artist’s creativity and his unusual vision, it was customary among colleagues to call Bosch “an honorary professor of nightmares.”
- The artist's passion for painting came from his male relatives. He didn’t even have to study art in a specialized school - he acquired all his skills in his family’s workshop.
- Bosch was not poor. His successful marriage gave him a good fortune and position in society.
- The creations of Jerome cannot be called consistent with the spirit of that time. He primarily worked on religious themes. But at the same time, his vision of religion strongly contradicted what existed at that time. The strangest thing is that the Church accepted his paintings without any criticism, despite many nuances.
- The death of the famous artist is shrouded in mystery. After all, his body was buried with solemnity and honor in the chapel of the church in his hometown. Centuries later, Bosch's grave was opened, but, to great surprise, it turned out to be empty, and did not contain the remains of either the artist or anyone else. Further excavations were hastily stopped after examining a fragment of a tombstone from his grave, which began to heat up and glow under a microscope.
Hieronymus Bosch is the most mysterious artist of all times. People are still trying to decipher his paintings. But we will not get closer to their complete solution, because Bosch spoke several languages. In the language of religious symbolism. In the language of alchemists. And also in the language of Dutch proverbs. And even astrology.
It's hard not to get confused. But thanks to this, interest in Bosch will never dry up. Here are just a few of his masterpieces that captivate with their mystery.
1. Garden of earthly delights. 1505-1510
Hieronymus Bosch. Garden of earthly delights. 1505-1510 Prado Museum, Madrid. Wikimedia.commons.org “The Garden of Earthly Delights” is Bosch’s most famous work. You can look at it for hours. But you still don’t understand anything. Why all these naked people? Giant berries? Fancy fountains? Outlandish monsters?
In a nutshell. Paradise is depicted on the left wing. God just created Adam and Eve. But Bosch's paradise is not so heavenly. Here we see Evil too. The cat is carrying a mouse in its teeth. And nearby a bird is pecking at a frog.
Why? Animals can do evil. This is their way of survival. But for a person this is a sin.
Hieronymus Bosch. Garden of earthly delights. Fragment of the left wing of the triptych. 1505-1510 Prado Museum, Madrid In the middle part of the triptych, many naked people lead an idle lifestyle. They care only about earthly pleasures, symbols of which are giant berries and birds.
People indulge in the sin of voluptuousness. But conditionally. We understand this through symbols. You won't find explicit erotica. Only one pair doesn't look very decent. Try to find her.
If it doesn’t work out, you’ll see it close-up in the article.
Did you know that a copy of the central part of the famous triptych is kept there? Created 50 years later by a follower of Bosch. The poses and gestures are the same. Only people in the style of mannerism. With beautiful torsos and languid faces.
Bosch's characters are flatter and more bloodless. Like blanks, blanks of people. Why write real people if their lives are empty and aimless?
Top: Follower of Bosch. Garden of earthly delights. Fragment. 1556-1568 , Saint Petersburg. Bottom: Hieronymus Bosch. The central part of the triptych. 1505-1510 Prado Museum, Madrid
On the right wing we see Hell. Here are those who were fond of idle music or gluttony. Gamblers and drunkards. Proud and stingy.
But there are no less mysteries here. Why are we meeting Eve here? She sits under the bird-headed monster's chair. What kind of notes are depicted on the backside of one of the sinners? And why did poor musicians end up in Hell?
2. Ship of Fools. 1495-1500
Hieronymus Bosch. Ship of fools. 1495-1500 . Wikimedia.commons.org Painting “Ship of Fools”. Why ship? A common metaphor in Bosch's time. This is what they said about the Church. She must “carry” her parishioners through worldly vanity to spiritual purity.
But something is wrong with Bosch's ship. Its passengers indulge in empty fun. They are bawling and drinking. Both monks and laymen. They don’t even notice that their ship is no longer sailing anywhere. And so long ago that a tree grew through the bottom.
Pay attention to the jester. A fool by profession behaves more seriously than others. He turned away from those having fun and drinks his compote. Without him, there are already enough fools on this ship.
“Ship of Fools” is the upper part of the right wing of the triptych. The lower one is stored in another country. On it we see the shore. The bathers threw off their clothes and surrounded the barrel of wine.
Two of them swam to the ship of fools. Look, one of them has the same bowl as the bather next to the barrel.
Hieronymus Bosch. Allegory of gluttony and lust. 1500 Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, USA. 3. Temptation of Saint Anthony. 1505-1506
. 1500 National Museum of Ancient Art in Lisbon, Portugal. Wikimedia.commons.org Temptation of Saint Anthony. Another fantastic triptych by Bosch. Among the heap of monsters and behemoths are four stories from the life of a hermit.
First, the saint in heaven is tormented by demons. Satan sent them. He was haunted by the fact that he was struggling with earthly temptations.
The demons threw the exhausted saint to the ground. We see him, exhausted, being led by the arms.
In the central part, the saint is already kneeling among mysterious characters. It is the alchemists who are trying to seduce him with the elixir of eternal life. As we know, nothing worked out for them.
Hieronymus Bosch. Temptation of Saint Anthony. Fragment of the central part of the triptych. 1500 National Museum of Ancient Art in Lisbon, Portugal And on the right wing, Satan made another attempt to lead the saint astray from his righteous path. Came to him in the form of a beautiful queen. To seduce him. But even here the saint resisted.
The triptych “The Temptation of St. Anthony” is interesting for its monsters. Such a variety of unknown creatures makes your eyes wide open.
And monsters with the head of a sheep and the body of a plucked goose. And half-people, half-trees with fish tails. Bosch's most famous monster also lives here. An absurd creature with a funnel and a bird's beak.
Hieronymus Bosch. Fragment of the left wing of the triptych “The Temptation of St. Anthony”. 1500 National Museum of Ancient Art in Lisbon, Portugal You can admire these entities in detail in the article.
Bosch loved to portray Saint Anthony. In 2016, another painting of this saint was recognized as the work of Bosch.
Yes, the little monsters look like Bosch's. There's nothing wrong with them. But there is more than enough metaphoricality. And a funnel on legs. And a scoop-shaped nose. And the fish is walking.
Hieronymus Bosch. Temptation of Saint Anthony. 1500-1510 Nelson-Atkins Museum, Kansas City, USA. Wikimedia.commons.org 4. Prodigal Son. 1500
Hieronymus Bosch. Prodigal son. 1500 Boijmans-Van Beuningen Museum, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Wikimedia.commons.org In the painting “Prodigal Son”, instead of a huge number of characters, there is one main character. Traveler.
He is pretty battered by life. But he has hope. Leaving the world of depravity and sin, he wants to return home to his father. To the world of righteous life and spiritual grace.
He looks back at the house, which is an allegory for a dissolute lifestyle. Tavern or inn. A temporary shelter full of primitive amusements.
The roof is leaky. The shutter is warped. A visitor relieves himself just around the corner. And two of them are having fun in the doorway. All this symbolizes spiritual degradation.
Hieronymus Bosch. Prodigal son. Fragment. 1500 Boijmans-Van Beuningen Museum, Rotterdam, Netherlands But our traveler has already woken up. He realized that he had to leave. A woman looks at him from the window. She doesn't understand his action. Or he's jealous. She does not have the strength or opportunity to leave this “leaky”, pitiful world.
The Prodigal Son is similar to another traveler, who is depicted on the closed doors of the triptych “Voz Seine”.
Hieronymus Bosch. Wanderer. Closed doors of the triptych “Voz Seine”. 1516 Prado Museum, Madrid The meaning here is similar. We are travelers. There is much to be happy about along our journey. But there are also many dangers. Where are we going? And will we get somewhere? Or will we wander like this until death overtakes us on the road?
5. Carrying the cross 1515-1516
Hieronymus Bosch. Carrying the cross. 1515-1516 Museum of Fine Arts, Ghent, Belgium. Wga.hu Unexpected work for Bosch. Instead of distant horizons and many characters, there is a very close approach. Foreground only. The faces are so close to us that we can even feel claustrophobic.
There are no more monsters. People themselves are ugly. All their vices are visible on their faces. Gloat. Condemning another. Mental deafness. Aggression.
Note that only three characters have normal traits. The repentant thief is in the upper right corner. Christ himself. And Saint Veronica is in the lower left.
Hieronymus Bosch. Carrying the cross. Fragment. 1515-1516 Museum of Fine Arts, Ghent, Belgium. Wikipedia.org They closed their eyes, renouncing this world, which is filled with a screaming and angry crowd. Only the thief and Christ go to the right, towards death. And Veronica - to the left, towards life.
The image of Christ appeared on Veronica’s scarf. He looks at us. With sad, calm eyes. What does he want to tell us? Did we see ourselves in this crowd? Are we ready to become human, freed from aggression and condemnation?
Bosch was an artist. Yes, he was a contemporary of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo.
Therefore, its main character is human. He looked at it from all angles. And from afar. Like in “The Garden of Earthly Delights.” And very close. As in “Carrying the Cross.”
His verdict is disappointing. People are mired in vices. But there is hope. Hope that each of us will find a way to salvation. The main thing is to look at yourself from the outside in time.
Test your knowledge by taking
Sources:
Article “Another Bosch painting found in Kansas City.” Published in Theartnewspaper.ru. 2016
V. Klevaev “Lectures on the history of art.” Fact. 2007
The painting "The Ascension of the Righteous" ("Ascent into the Empyrean") by the Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch was painted in oil on panel, probably in 1500-1504. Genre: religious painting. Probably, “The Ascension of the Righteous” was part of the polyptych “The Blessed and the Damned.” […]
This painting was created by an artist from the Netherlands. It has a fairly straightforward title: “Death of a Miser.” The main feature of the image is the style of placement of the picture in space. The painting is strongly elongated vertically, which creates the impression of an altar painting. […]
Hieronymus Bosch, the son of hereditary artists who came from Germany. Bosch is a pseudonym that comes from the name of the city of 's-Hertogenbosch (translated as ducal forest). His parents’ workshop was engaged in wall paintings, gilding of sculptures, making various […]
Unfortunately, the painting “The Magician” by the Flemish artist Hieronymus Bosch has not survived. Today you can only admire copies of this work. The most accurate of them is considered to be the work that is housed in the museum of the city of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. Date of writing […]
At the time of the decline of the Renaissance and the heyday of the Inquisition, society was filled with disturbing prejudices and superstitions. The artists who worked in these rebellious times tried as best they could to clarify the view of the world. Hieronymus Bosch writes from 1500 […]
I. Bosch created several triptychs on biblical themes, one of the latest is “The Adoration of the Magi.” The main part of the work shows the main plot. The Mother of God is located in front of the house and shows the baby. The Magi lay gifts at the woman's feet. […]
Jeroen Antonison van Aken, better known as Hieronymus Bosch, is a Dutch Renaissance artist who combined fantastic, folklore, philosophical and satirical motifs in his paintings.
Childhood and youth
Hieronymus Bosch was born around 1453 in 's-Hertogenbosch (province of Brabant). His family, which originated from the German city of Aachen (where it got its surname), has long been associated with the creative industry. Jerome's grandfather, Jan van Aken, as well as four of his five sons, including the father of the future artist Anthony, were painters.
The Van Aken family workshop carried out orders for painting walls, gilding wooden sculptures and making church utensils. It was probably in this forge of painting that Hieronymus Bosch received his first creative lessons. In 1478, when his father dies, Bosch becomes the owner of an art workshop.
The first mention of Jerome dates back to 1480. Then he, wanting to start his own business and separate himself from the Aken surname, took the pseudonym Hieronymus the painter with the surname Bosch, which comes from the name of his hometown.
Engraving by Hieronymus Bosch In 1486, a turning point comes in the biography of Hieronymus Bosch: he enters the Brotherhood of Our Lady, a religious society dedicated to the cult. He performs creative work - he designs festive processions and ceremonies, paints the altar for the Chapel of the Brotherhood in the Cathedral of St. John. From this moment on, religious motifs run like a red thread through Jerome’s work.
Painting
Bosch's first known paintings, which are strongly satirical in nature, are believed to date back to the mid-1470s. For example, in the period 1475-1480 the works “The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things”, “Marriage at Cana”, “The Magician” and “Removing the Stones of Folly” (“Operation of Folly”) were created.
These works hypnotize contemporaries. For example, King Philip II of Spain even hangs the painting “The Seven Deadly Sins...” in his bedroom to make reflections on the sinfulness of human nature more acute.
In the first paintings, Jerome ridicules people's naivety, their vulnerability to charlatans, including those in monastic robes. In 1490-1500, Bosch created an even more brutal painting, “Ship of Fools,” which depicts monks. They sing songs surrounded by commoners, and the ship is steered by a jester.
Landscape also has a place in Bosch’s work. For example, in the triptych “The Garden of Earthly Delights” Jerome depicts the world on the third day of God’s Creation. In the center of the picture are naked people, frozen in a blissful half-sleep, and around them are animals and birds, striking in their size.
The triptych “The Last Judgment” is considered the largest surviving work by Bosch. The central part depicts the Last Judgment itself, where the righteous are contrasted against the blue sky by sinners pierced by arrows and spears. On the left wing - Paradise in dynamics. In the foreground is the creation of Eve, in the middle is the scene of temptation and the bone of contention, and in the background is the cherub who drives them out of Eden. The right wing of the triptych depicts Hell.
Bosch gravitated towards presenting creativity through a triptych. For example, the painting “A Wagon of Hay” also consists of three parts. The central part depicts a maddened crowd dismantling a large cart of hay into bundles. Thus, the artist denounces greed.
In addition, on the canvas you can find pride in the image of secular and spiritual rulers, lust in loving couples and gluttony in a plump monk. The left and right wings are decorated with already familiar motifs - Hell and the Fall of Adam and Eve.
From Bosch's paintings one cannot say that he gravitated towards a certain genre of painting. His canvases reflected portraits, landscapes, architectural painting, animal painting and decor. However, Jerome is considered one of the progenitors of landscape and genre painting in Europe.
A distinctive feature of the work of Hieronymus Bosch is that he became the first of his compatriots who created studies and sketches before moving on to a full-fledged creation. Some of the sketches eventually saw the light of day in the form of paintings and triptychs. Often the sketches were a figment of the artist’s imagination, inspired by the images of Gothic monsters that he saw in engravings or church frescoes.
It is also characteristic that Hieronymus Bosch did not sign or date his works. According to art historians, only seven paintings were signed by the master. The names that the paintings have today may not have been invented by the author himself, but were preserved from museum catalogs.
Hieronymus Bosch created using the technique a la prima (from the Italian a la prima - “in one sitting”), which consists of finishing applying a layer of oil before it is completely dry. In the traditional painting method, the artist waits for a layer of paint to dry before adding the next one.
Personal life
With all the madness of his artistic ideas, Hieronymus Bosch was not alone. In 1981, he married Aleit Goyaerts van der Meerveen, whom he is believed to have known since childhood. She was from a rich and noble family and brought her husband a substantial fortune.
The marriage did not leave any descendants, but provided Jerome with financial well-being. From the moment of his marriage to Aleit, he took on those orders that brought him moral rather than material pleasure.
Death
The painter died on August 9, 1516. The funeral service took place in the same chapel of the Cathedral of St. John, which Bosch painted, being an adherent of the idea of the Brotherhood of Our Lady. The cause of death, unlike Jerome’s work, cannot be called mystical - at that time the artist was 67 years old. However, centuries after the burial, historians testify to amazing events.
In 1977, the grave was opened, but no remains were found there. Historian Hans Gaalfe, who led the excavations, said that a fragment of stone was found in the grave. When it was placed under a microscope, it began to heat up and glow. Because of this interesting fact, it was decided to stop the excavations.
Works
Bosch's works are kept in galleries and museums around the world - in the Netherlands, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, Austria, etc.
- 1475-1480 - "The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things"
- 1480-1485 - “Crucifixion with Donor”
- 1490-1500 - “Allegory of Gluttony and Lust”
- 1490-1500 - “Crown of Thorns”
- 1490-1500 - “The Garden of Earthly Delights”
- 1495-1505 - “The Last Judgment”
- 1500 - "Death of a Miser"
- 1500-1502 - “Cart of Hay”
- 1500-1510 - “The Temptation of Saint Anthony”
- 1505-1515 - “The Blessed and the Damned”
Hieronymus Bosch is one of the most mysterious artists, about whom very little is known, but whose works continue to excite the imagination.
Biography of Hieronymus Bosch
Oddly enough, very little is known about the life of the artist Hieronymus Bosch. He comes from a family of hereditary painters Van Aken. The future maestro of painting was born in the small Dutch town of 's-Hertogenbosch. The exact date of birth is unknown (according to assumptions - around 1450). His life path was not distinguished by any special zigzags or vicissitudes of fate. Bosch married favorably, entered the leadership of the Brotherhood of Our Lady, had recognition and many orders. Therefore, one of the cornerstones remains the question, where does so much drama come from in the paintings of Hieronymus Bosch? Neither before him nor after him has anyone so truthfully exposed the world of human vices and passions. Bosch turned art into a mirror of the modern world.
The artist began his creative path with painting altars and temple elements. By nature, he was a cheerful, sociable and positive person. When and at what moment did strange images begin to appear in his head, which were subsequently reflected in paintings? In what hidden corners of consciousness did a demonic world begin to be born, filled with strange creatures? Probably no one will be able to answer this question. Because of his visions, his colleagues called the artist “emeritus professor of nightmares.” He really depicted the other world with special detail; his works are filled with symbolism. At first glance, it seems that the paintings were created by a religious person to intimidate sinners. But the researchers came to the conclusion that the paintings, which the author, by the way, never signed for some reason, contain a much deeper meaning. He turned the ordinary world upside down and inside out. And what is most paradoxical is that Bosch’s paintings are still relevant, modern and timely, although more than five centuries have passed since the death of their creator.
Works of Hieronymus Bosch
Most of the works created by this great Dutch master, unfortunately, have been lost. Only a few paintings by Hieronymus Bosch have reached us with titles that speak for themselves. Let's look at the most famous paintings, which contain the quintessence of the artist's worldview.
Hieronymus Bosch "The Garden of Earthly Delights"
This unique triptych was probably created between 1500 and 1515 for years. The author showed the life of humanity who made a choice in favor of sin. The left side of the triptych is a picture of heaven, the right side shows hell. The central part is dedicated to earthly life, in which a person loses paradise. There are suggestions that the artist depicted himself in part of hell.
Hieronymus Bosch "The Last Judgment" Another triptych, the largest surviving work by the painter. On the left side is an image of heaven, in the center is a picture of the Last Judgment, and on the right side is the terrible fate of sinners in hell. This work is considered one of the most frightening paintings of hellish torment. Bosch's contemporaries were convinced that the author had seen the monsters of the underworld with his own eyes.
Hieronymus Bosch "Ship of Fools" The painting “Ship of Fools” is considered to be the upper part of one of the wings of the triptych, which did not survive. The painting “Allegory of Gluttony and Voluptuousness” is identified with the lower part. In this work, as in many others, the author exposes and ridicules human vices. Among the ship's passengers are representatives of various social classes, symbolizing vanity, drunkenness, debauchery, etc.
Hieronymus Bosch "Extraction of the Stone of Folly" This is a rather strange picture, the meaning of which is still being tried to decipher. The canvas depicts a surgical operation, which for some reason is carried out in the open air. On the doctor's head is an inverted funnel, and on the nun's head is a book. According to one version, these objects symbolize the uselessness of knowledge in the face of stupidity, according to another - charlatanism.
Hieronymus Bosch "A Wain of Hay" In the triptych “A Wain of Hay”, Bosch’s favorite theme is repeated again – the theme of sin and human vices. A huge cart with hay is pulled by seven monsters, symbolizing various vices - cruelty, greed, pride, etc. And around there are many people trying to grab the hay for themselves. The Almighty is watching all this from above on a golden cloud.
Hieronymus Bosch "The Temptation of Saint Anthony" This is one of Bosch's most famous works. The triptych is made on wooden boards, which depicts the well-known story of the temptation of St. Anthony during his stay in the desert. The images of the picture are strange and unusual, and the main idea is the eternal struggle between good and evil, when demons try to lead a person astray from the true path.
Despite the title, this work is only indirectly related to the biblical parable of the Prodigal Son, which is why the title “Traveler” or “Pilgrim” is more often used. The plot is based on one of Bosch’s favorite themes - the theme of temptations on the path of life.
"Nesenye of the cross"
Hieronymus Bosch "Carrying the Cross" This work is one of the most recognizable, a kind of “calling card” of the artist, in which he managed to show the true essence of human nature, what people really are. However, there is controversy about this painting, since a number of researchers believe that Bosch is not the author of this painting.
Hieronymus Bosch "The Magician" This is a work from the early period of Hieronymus Bosch. Like the rest of the works of the great master, this picture is full of symbolism and mysteries, and behind the simple plot about the charlatan “thimble maker” lies a very deep meaning.
Hieronymus Bosch "The Seven Deadly Sins" Another painting by Bosch, the authorship of which is being questioned due to imperfect execution. Of the 11 fragments (the image of the 7 sins and the 4 last things), according to researchers, only two were made by the artist personally. But there is no doubt that the idea of the painting belongs to Bosch.
Hieronymus Bosch "Adoration of the Magi" One of the few bright works by Bosch, which, moreover, is perfectly preserved. The triptych “Adoration of the Magi” was commissioned by a burgher from 's-Hertogenbosch on the occasion of his wedding. Both the customer himself and his bride, as well as their patron saints - St. Peter and St. Agnes - are depicted on the outer doors.
Hieronymus Bosch "The Blessed and the Damned" “The Blessed and the Damned” is a polyptych consisting of four paintings: “Earthly Paradise” and “Ascent into the Empyrean” on the left side and “Hell” on the right side. It is believed that the central part of the work may have been lost. The most famous is the second fragment, in which angels lead the souls of the righteous through a conical tunnel to eternal bliss.
Hieronymus Bosch "Self-Portrait" Bosch's self-portrait, written in pencil on sagnine, has small dimensions - only 40 by 28 cm. The drawing is stored in the municipal library in Arras in France.
Copies of all the surviving works of the great painter can be seen in his hometown, where the museum was founded. In 2016, an exhibition dedicated to the work of the famous countryman was held here. The story of this exhibition is as incredible as the artist's life. It was she who formed the basis of the film “Hieronymus Bosch: Inspired by the Devil.”
His works continue to be explored, but it seems to me that the mysteries of Hieronymus Bosch are unlikely to be solved, at least not in the near future.
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